‘At present, our efforts and attention are fully focused on dealing with COVID-19 pandemic’
India refused to criticise the United States defunding of the World Health Organisation (WHO), saying that it was currently occupied with the domestic campaign to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic.
A source indicated that India was not inclined to immediately join the controversy that erupted after the President Donald Trump declared a “halt” to American funding of the WHO.
President’s charge
Instructing the administration to hold the funding of the World Health Organisation while a review is conducted to assess the WHO’s role in severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the coronavirus. As the organisation’s leading sponsor, the United States has a duty to insist on full accountability, the U.S. President.
The WHO’s latest documents show that the United States is its top contributor with around $58 million and halting that payment is expected to hit many health initiatives across the world, including in India.
Budget contributions
The WHO's budget is funded by a mix of assessed and voluntary contributions.
Assessed contributions mainly refer to financial support from the member-countries of the world body, which is relative to the member- state’s wealth and population.
The WHO claims that contributions from the member-states had declined over the years and now accounts for less than one quarter of its programme financing.
The rest of the resources, it says, is raised through voluntary donation.
